"I have long opposed illegal detentions and coercive interrogation methods. These activities have greatly damaged America’s reputation around the world, and made the war on terror harder to fight. I have introduced several pieces of legislation to right these wrongs. The first, introduced in early 2007, would have closed the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. And I’ve introduced several pieces of legislation to end coercive interrogations. One amendment, to require our intelligence agencies to follow the Army Field Manual, was approved by Congress, but vetoed by President Bush. This week, on the first day of the 111th Congress, I introduced legislation to close Guantanamo, end coercive interrogations, ban the practice of using contractors in interrogations, and guarantee the International Committee of the Red Cross access to detainees. I believe these objectives are aligned with President-elect Obama’s goals, and I look forward to working closely with him. Ending these detention and interrogation practices are among my top priorities as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.”